Omatie now charged in same-day holdups: Police say he robbed woman at knifepoint in Rochester; later tased, assaulted, robbed man in Dover

Thursday

Jul 3, 2014 at 3:15 AMJul 11, 2014 at 9:40 AM

By Liz Markhlevskayalmark@fosters.com

DOVER — City resident Okiemute “Leo” Omatie, who was arrested Tuesday in connection with an armed robbery in Rochester, is also accused of striking a man with a taser during a robbery in Dover on the same day.

Omatie, 19, of 28 Fifth St., Dover, remains held in jail on $10,000 cash bail after his arraignment Wednesday morning on two felony robbery charges, stemming from robberies that both occurred June 15.

In Dover, Omatie is accused of using a taser to rob a man on Locust Street. Omatie allegedly struck the man in the neck with the taser, and then punched and kicked him after he fell to the ground. He then stole a laptop, a computer tablet, and medication from the victim's home, according to police.

After the incident, the victim was taken to Wentworth-Douglass Hospital and treated for minor injuries, police say. He was later released.

The robbery occurred on the evening of June 15, after the victim let two men enter his room at 105 Locust St. The first suspect identified himself as Phillip Swanson, 27, of Dover. The second suspect — who was unknown by the victim but was identified by police as Omatie — then began assaulting the victim, telling him several times not to look up or he would kill him, according to a police affidavit.

The two suspects then rummaged through the apartment, stealing a laptop, tablet, audio speakers, and medications that included suboxone strips and clonopin.

Later that evening, police found Swanson on Fifth Street, in the area of Central Avenue. In his possession were several items that were taken in the robbery, and Swanson was arrested on a robbery charge.

According to the affidavit, Swanson admitted to police that he conspired to commit the robbery with the black male who lived with him at 28 Fifth St.

The following morning, an officer found Omatie walking on Chestnut Street, in the area of First Street. Through their conversation, police learned that Swanson was spending time with two women shortly before the robbery. Police went to speak with the two women, one of whom told police that Omatie agreed to help Swanson rob a man on Locust Street who owed him money.

The robbery in Rochester occurred earlier in the day on June 15. Around 10:30 a.m., police responded to a report by a female victim, stating she was just robbed at the Residence Inn on Milton Road.

During that incident, Tasha Loaiza, 21, of Rochester, allegedly pulled down the victim's bra and stole about three grams of heroin. A second suspect, whom police identified as Omatie, threatened the victim with a knife several times by pushing the weapon against her throat, according to the victim's statements in a police affidavit.

Loaiza, who was known to the Residence Inn victim, was arrested on a robbery charge shortly after the incident.

Omatie was charged after Rochester detectives received several tips from other police departments and the Crimeline about him possibly being the second suspect. Based on this information, police put together a lineup, and the Rochester victim was able to confidently pick out Omatie's picture, according to the police affidavit.

Omatie was then located in Dover, and provided a voluntary statement to police, saying he was not at the Residence Inn at the time of the robbery, that he did not know the victim, and that he hadn't been friends with Loaiza for some time.

According to the Rochester police affidavit, in September 2013 Omatie was arrested by two Rochester detectives, and during that encounter, Omatie continually lied to detectives about his identity until he was shown a booking photo of himself.

Police drafted an arrest warrant for Omatie, and last week, he was dubbed the “most wanted of the week” on the Rochester police Facebook page. Dover police had also issued an arrest warrant for Omatie on a robbery charge on June 19.

Omatie was arrested Tuesday afternoon after being apprehended by police in Somersworth.

During an arraignment at Dover Circuit Court Wednesday, Omatie was ordered held on $10,000 cash bail. Swanson and Omatie are scheduled to appear for a probable cause hearing at Dover Circuit Court on July 16.

Omatie's probable cause hearing for the Rochester robbery charge is scheduled for July 10 at Rochester Circuit Court.

Loaiza recently waived her probable cause hearing, and the robbery case against her has been bound over to the Strafford County Superior Court, where a grand jury will consider indicting her. She is currently free on personal recognizance bail and is being monitored by Strafford County Community Corrections Program with a GPS device. As part of her bail conditions, she is ordered to live on Green Street in Somersworth.

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